Lilac plant named ‘Bailina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct highly ornamental cultivar of  Syringa meyeri×Syringa microphylla  is provided. A Lilac plant having a generally rounded to oval uniform compact dwarf growth habit is described. Highly attractive densely packed trusses of intensely sweet smelling medium pink buds that open to light pink florets are formed in late spring and subsequently fade to almost white at maturity. Good winter hardiness is made possible and the plant has been found to be relatively free of insect and disease problems during observations to date particularly when grown in full sun in well drained soil. The plant is suitable for growing in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 4 to 7. The plant is well-suited for growing as an ornamental specimen or as a mass planting in the landscape. The plant also can be grown as a foundation planting or as an informal hedge.

Botanical/commercial classification: Syringa meyeri×Spyringamicrophylla/Ornamental Lilac Shrub.

Varietal denomination: cv. ‘Bailina’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Lilac plant of the present invention was created at Harwood,N.Dak., U.S.A., by the cross of Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ (non-patentedin the United States) and Syringa microphylla ‘Superba’ (non-patented inthe United States). The parentage can be summarized as follow:‘Palibin’×‘Superba’.

Seeds from the cross were collected during 1976, were planted, and theresulting plants were observed. A single plant of new cultivar wasselected during 1985 in view of its distinctive combination ofornamental characteristics. This plant initially was designated No.92-2.

It was found that the cultivar of Syringa meyeri×Syringa microphyllaexhibits the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) exhibits generally rounded to oval uniform compact dwarf        growth habit,    -   (b) forms in late spring densely packed attractive trusses of        intensely sweet smelling medium pink buds that open to light        pink florets that fade to almost white at full maturity,    -   (c) is relatively free of insect and disease problems, and    -   (d) is well-suited for growing as a distinctive ornamental shrub        in the landscape.

The new cultivar of the present invention provides a distinctive blossomcoloration and fragrance to the landscape that are displayed in latespring after many other shrubs have finished flowering. The generallyrounded to oval growth habit commonly assumes a height and width ofapproximately 5 to 6 feet at maturity. The new plant can be grown toadvantage as a specimen shrub or in a mass planting. The plant isversatile for many uses in the landscape including foundation plantings,and informal hedges. The superior hardiness of the Syringa meyeri‘Palibin’ parent which generally is lacking in the Syringa microphylla‘Superba’ parent is imparted to the new cultivar of the presentinvention. The new cultivar performs best when grown in full sun inwell-drained soil.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguishedfrom its parental cultivars. More specifically, the ‘Palibin’ cultivarexhibits reddish-purple buds that open to pale lilac flowers, and the‘Superba’ cultivar exhibits an often taller and considerably morespreading growth habit and forms deep pink blossoms. The ‘Palibin’cultivar commonly reaches a height of approximately 4 to 5 feet andwidth of approximately 5 to 7 feet. The ‘Superba’ cultivar commonlyreaches a height of approximately 6 feet and a width of approximately 9to 12 feet.

The new cultivar of the present invention also can be readilydistinguished from other Lilac cultivars, such as ‘Bailbelle’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 12,294), ‘Baildust’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,152),‘Bailsugar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,588), and ‘Bailming’ (U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 10/769,779, filed Feb. 3, 2004), resultingfrom the same breeding program in view of the distinctive blossomcoloration. More specifically, the ‘Bailbelle’ variety forms pinkblossoms, the ‘Baildust’ variety forms pale antique pink blossoms, the‘Bailsugar’ variety forms purple lilac blossoms, and the ‘Bailming’cultivar forms red purple blossoms that fade to lavender pink. The lightpink blossoms of the new cultivar are also more fragrant than those ofthe above-identified varieties.

The new cultivar of the present invention was asexually propagated bythe use of rooted cuttings and grafting at St. Paul, Minn., U.S.A.,during 1992, and the progeny were field planted during 1993. Thedistinctive characteristics of the new cultivar have been found to bestable and to be capable of transmission from one generation to anotherfollowing such asexual propagation at St. Paul, Minn., U.S.A., andelsewhere. The new cultivar reproduces true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

The new cultivar grows well from rooted cuttings that are subsequentlygrown outdoors in a production field and then are transferred tocontainers at St. Paul, Minn., U.S.A., and at Yamhill, Oreg., U.S.A. Thenew cultivar can be marketed as rooted cuttings, bareroot plants, and ascontainer grown plants.

The new cultivar of the present invention also has been grafted onSyringa reticulata to form distinctive small grafted trees.

The new cultivar of the present invention has been named ‘Bailina’. Itis a member of the FAIRYTALE™ Series of Lilac plants that includes the‘Bailbelle’ ‘Baildust’, ‘Bailsugar’, and ‘Bailming’ cultivars, and isbeing marketed under the THUMBELINA trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as true as reasonably possible tomake the same in color illustrations of this character typical plants ofthe new cultivar. The plants were propagated by use of rooted cuttingsand were photographed when approximately three years of age during 2003and 2004 while growing outdoors during late spring at St. Paul, Minn.,U.S.A.

FIG. 1 shows a blossoming plant wherein the generally rounded to ovaluniform and compact growth habit of the new cultivar is exhibited.

FIG. 2 shows a closer view of the medium pink buds that open to lightpink florets that fade to near white at maturity, as well as thefoliage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is The R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. Common termsare to be accorded their ordinary dictionary significance. Thedescription is based upon the observation during May and July 2003 and2004 of two and five year-old plants propagated by the use of rootedcuttings and growing outdoors in containers and in the field at St.Paul, Minn., U.S.A.

-   Botanical classification: Syringa meyeri×Syringa microphylla, cv.    ‘Bailina’.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Neat compact generally rounded to oval dwarf            shrub, and a uniform grower.        -   Size.—Forms a shrub of approximately 1.5 to 1.8 m            (approximately 5 to 6 feet) in height and approximately 1.25            to 1.8 m (approximately 5 to 6 feet) in width.-   Bark:    -   -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Greyed-Green Group 197D.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic/ovate.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute to obtuse.        -   Leaf base.—Rounded.        -   Leaf surface.—Matte.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Venation.—Palmately-veined.        -   Leaf length.—Approximately 3 cm on average.        -   Leaf width.—Approximately 2 cm on average.        -   Color young foliage.—Commonly between Green Group 138B and            Green Group 139C on the upper surface, and near Green Group            139C on the under surface.        -   Color adult foliage.—Commonly near Green Group 138A on the            upper surface, and near Green Group 138B on the under            surface.        -   Petioles.—Green Group 137D with highlights of Greyed-Purple            Group 185B on the upper surface, Green Group 139C on the            under surface, approximately 0.7 cm in length on average,            and approximately 0.15 cm in diameter on average.        -   Stems.—Green Group 138A on young stems, and Greyed-Green            Group 197C with highlights of Yellow-Green Group 148B on            adult wood.        -   Lenticels.—Commonly are present on stems, Grey-Brown Group            199D in coloration, and approximately 0.2 cm in size on            average.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Age to flower.—Typically the first flowers appear the second            year from a rooted cutting in the field and in container            production. A few flowers have been observed during the            first year depending upon the time of planting.        -   Time of flowering.—Typically mid- to late-May at the            indicated location. Such flowering commonly is after many            other flowering shrubs have finished blooming.        -   Buds.—In trusses, closed funnel-form, red purple, Red-Purple            Group 62C (upper surface), and between Red-Purple Group 62B            and 62C (under surface). The length commonly is 1.3 cm on            average and the width approximately 0.25 cm on average.        -   Flower arrangement.—Densely packed in panicles or trusses.        -   Flower configuration.—Tubular with four petal lobes at the            end (as illustrated).        -   Flower size.—Approximately 1.0 cm in length on average and            approximately 0.3 cm in diameter on average at the widest            point.        -   Flower color.—When first opening the petals are Red Group            56C (upper surface) and Red Group 54C (under surface). When            blooming the petals are Red Group 56D (upper surface) and            between Red Group 56A and 56B (under surface). At the end of            blooming the petals are lighter than Red Group 56D at the            throat and changing to Red Group 56B and 56C at the base of            the tube.        -   Stamens.—Two per flower, and Red-Purple Group 65A with some            near White Group 155D in coloration.        -   Filaments.—Red-Purple Group 62D in coloration.        -   Anthers.—Red-Purple Group 63B in coloration.        -   Pollen.—Present in a moderate quantity and near Yellow-Green            Group 154C in coloration.        -   Pistil.—Approximately 0.3 cm in length.        -   Style.—Red-Purple Group 65C in coloration.        -   Stigma.—Yellow-Green Group 150D.        -   Calyx.—Cup-shaped with an entire lobe, one per flower,            rugose, approximately 0.2 cm in size, and Green Group 139C            in coloration.        -   Fragrance.—Intense sweet lilac.        -   Flower duration.—Approximately 5 to 7 days on the plant with            the duration commonly being influenced by the temperature            and sunlight that is encountered.        -   Seeds.—None observed during observations to date.-   Vegetation: Vigorous and strong.-   Hardiness: Can be grown in U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 4 to 7. Some    winter injury has been observed if grown in wet conditions.-   Culture: Similar to the Dwarf Korean Lilac. Prefers well-drained    soil and a sunny growing location. Generally does not well tolerate    poorly drained growing conditions.-   Disease/pest resistance: Has proven to be relatively free of disease    and insect problems during observations to date. However, some root    disease has been encountered when grown in poorly drained soil.-   Landscape usage: Provides a hardy highly ornamental intensely    fragrant shrub having a distinctive blossom coloration that can be    grown as a specimen plant or in a mass planting. Also, the plant can    be grown as a foundation planting or as an informal hedge.

1. A new and distinct Syringa meyeri×Syringa microphylla plant havingthe following combination of characteristics: (a) exhibits a generallyrounded to oval uniform compact dwarf growth habit, (b) forms in latespring densely packed attractive trusses of intensely sweet smellingmedium pink buds that open to light pink florets that fade to almostwhite at full maturity, (c) is relatively free of insect and diseaseproblems, and (d) is well suited for growing as a distinctive ornamentalshrub in the landscape; substantially as illustrated and described.